Women's rights in Canada and around the world

A multi-million dollar post-Ebola “Marshall Plan” is needed to put the three West Africa countries hit by the crisis back on their feet. The world cannot dither on a recovery plan as it did on the Ebola response. Key to the success of any recovery package will be addressing three areas of acute need: immediate cash to millions of families affected by the crisis; investment in jobs; and budget support for essential services such as health, education, water and sanitation.

More than half of Yemen’s population needs aid and a humanitarian crisis of extreme proportions is at risk of unfolding in the country if instability continues, Oxfam warns. Throughout the country there are 16 million people in need of aid, meaning one in three people needing help in the entire Middle East is Yemeni.

By 2016, the richest 1% of people on the planet will own more wealth than the rest of humanity combined - unless world leaders act now. Extreme inequality is growing and, left un-checked, will cripple the fight against poverty. The good news is that there are clear solutions that would end extreme inequality.

The explosion in inequality is holding back the fight against global poverty according to a new Oxfam report, Wealth: Having it all and wanting more, the combined wealth of the richest 1 per cent will overtake that of the other 99 per cent of humanity next year unless the current trend of rising inequality is checked. The report was released today ahead of the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos.

The impact of economic inequality on other inequalities, particularly between men and women, is profound. If the status quo were to continue unabated, it would take 75 years before the world’s women are paid the same as men. In Canada, women continue to make 20 per cent less than their male counterparts for the same work." Part of the inequality problemwas originally published in Embassy News on January 14, 2015 embassynews.ca

Five years ago on 12 January, a powerful earthquake struck Haiti, killing more than 220,000 people, injuring more than 330,000 others and reducing great swaths of the city to rubble. Thanks to the incredible outpouring of support from the public and governments around the word, Oxfam helped more than half a million survivors with a range of support that included clean water and sanitation services, shelter, and income-generating opportunities.

A new GlobeScan poll shows increases in perceived seriousness of poverty and homelessness. The GlobeScan poll of 24,000 citizens across 24 countries, including Canada, shows the abiding strength of people’s concerns about poverty and their perceptions of economic unfairness.

Campaigners hailed a “huge victory” as after more than a decade of campaigning, the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) today becomes international law at last. Oxfam has worked with the Control Arms coalition to make this treaty a reality. Unfortunately, Canada has yet to sign or ratify even though Canada voted in favour of the treaty in April last year.